


In Sickness and In Health

by Operator Yaku (TheHonkmaster)



Series: Infestation Series [1]
Category: Warframe
Genre: Blood, Cannibalism, Child Death, Gore, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-20 11:25:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13716705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHonkmaster/pseuds/Operator%20Yaku





	In Sickness and In Health

Vengeance.

For the past four years Yaku’ wanted nothing else. For the past four years they strengthened their bond with Tsania’dacha, channeling their fury through her and into their enemies. For the past four years they worked alongside the Red Veil and tolerated Steel Meridian agents, only to make no progress. For the past four years they struggled against the encroaching darkness and found that the light held no answers. What they saw was what they got, for the light held no secrets or higher knowledge.

Yaku’ was furious.

They felt betrayed, lied to,  _used._ They felt that their servitude to the Lotus and the syndicates held no value and that they were just another Tenno, seeking their purpose in the galaxy, eager to please and ready to sacrifice everything for a chance at glory. 

They were anything but that.

Yaku’ stood knee-deep in dead Infested. Blood covered them from head to toe as they struggled to extract themself from the gore surrounding them. “Tsania’dacha,” they grunted, wiggling one leg, “come help me out of this.”

The frame silently obeyed, easily pushing aside bodies to lift her operator out of the mess. She set them down on a platform and went back to idling by their side. Yaku’ wiped the scraps of organs from their legs and kicked a bone shard off the platform. They stretched and sighed, turning slowly to examine the rest of the room.

“You  _can_ just use your Warframe, Ta’sha.” Their partner for the mission, a Tenno whose name slipped their mind, watched them with open disgust.  _Ta’sha_ was the alias they used in dealings with other Tenno; no use in getting too familiar with each other. 

“It’s not as satisfying when I let her do it,” they replied, pulling a strand of sinew from their knee and flinging it back into the gore. “It feels more real when it’s me.”

“When you  _let her_  do it? Ta’sha, Warframes aren’t sentient. They’re just tools, just weapons. They’re a mass of nerves and flesh and that’s it,” the Tenno said, rolling her eyes. Yaku’ silently corrected her pronunciation of their alias; she said it without the glottal stop in the middle and it sounded awful.

“Whatever. I like doing it. Let’s finish cleaning this place up.”

——————————————————————————————

_“You think you’re better than me!?”_ Yaku’ screamed, pinning the Tenno to the wall by her throat. “You think  _you_ can tell  _me_ how to control  _my_ Warframe!? As if you had even an  _inkling_ of what they really are! You’re so ignorant, so pathetic! You can’t even use your Void energy the right way! You’re fucking  _weak._ You’re a stain on the face of the Tenno. You’re a waste of consciousness and power! I’ll bet you let  _Teshin_  kill the Elder Queen. You’re so much of a coward, you can’t even take the life of something that can speak properly!”

“Ta’sha, please–” the Tenno begged; she made a terrible mistake, instigating an argument with the fearsome exalted Red Veil operative and Steel Meridian General about Warframes, the Infested, and how the two seemed to speak to each other.

“How does it feel, listening to the Infested and knowing that there’s still something sentient in there!? I’ll bet you’ve never killed a single Infested, that you’ve hidden away in your Warframe and closed your eyes and  _cried_  like the pathetic little  _child_  you are every time you’re faced with death! What kind of Tenno are you!? You were raised to be a damned  _soldier!_ **Fucking act like it!”** they snarled, throwing the Tenno to the ground and stepping on her throat.

“You’ve looked at me like I’m revolting. Is that how you see me!? I’m a soldier, you pathetic scrap of meat. I’m a murderer, and so are the rest of the Tenno! Pacifism has no place in this war! We’re living weapons and that is our  _sole_ purpose!” Yaku’ growled, grinding their heel into the soft flesh under their foot.

The Tenno choked and grabbed at Yaku’’s ankle, thrashing. Yaku’ grinned and pressed down harder, relishing the strangled, wet noises. They closed their eyes and inhaled deeply; the sharp tang of blood in the air was so strong they could almost taste it. Yaku’ licked their lips and put their full weight onto the Tenno’s throat, giggling deliriously as the struggling slowed, then stopped. The Ash frame nearby gave a static  _pop,_ then fell silent as its joints locked. It wouldn’t be moving for a long, long time.

Yaku’ laid beside the dead Tenno and trailed their fingers across the bruise forming on her throat. “It’s almost sad, you know. You were very powerful. As a proper soldier you would’ve been a valuable asset. You were what, thirteen? Fourteen? A few more years and you would’ve been perfect for the Red Veil’s ranks. It’s a pity you were too much of a coward to be anything more than cannon fodder.”

Yaku’ rested their hand on the dead Tenno’s chest. “Your heart had a very strong pulse,” they whispered, carving a line down their sternum with a beam of Void energy. The blood that welled up in the wake of the incision sparkled in the dim light, an enticing ruby stream. Yaku’ threw their leg over the body to straddle its hips, their copper eyes locked on the blood. They leaned in slowly and paused for just a brief moment, hovering above the incision.

“Such a strong pulse,” they murmured. They slid their tongue across the incision and sighed. The hot iron taste sparked something deep in their belly and Yaku’ pressed their face to the incision, digging their fingers in and tearing open the chest cavity. Their position shifted to rest their weight on their knees as their hungry mouth sought out more blood, hands roaming across organs until they found the heart and pulling it free from the ribcage.

Yaku’ bit into the organ and moaned in absolute ecstasy as it popped and more hot blood spilled forth to cover their Transference suit. They sat back and ran their hands across their body; they needed more and they needed it  _now._

The nineteen-year-old’s head whipped around and their gaze zeroed in on the pile of Infested bodies, previously forgotten in a pit. They scrambled across the ground on all fours, shrieking as they slid into the pool of gore. Yaku’ rolled and twisted, smearing every inch of themself with bodily fluids. They cackled and plunged their hand into the chest of an Ancient, removing its heart and consuming it in a matter of seconds. 

Yaku’ shuddered and their eyes rolled into the back of their head. Their grip tightened around one of its limbs and they spasmed violently; darkness overtook their mind, shutting their body down for an indeterminable amount of time.

——————————————————————————————

When Yaku’ regained consciousness they found themself in the same pit, only… without any Infested bodies. There was no sign of decay, no sinew or skin left behind. Only bones, cracked open and void of marrow, and inedible Grineer and Corpus equipment. Yaku’ groaned and wiped their mouth with the back of their hand. The Tenno body was gone, too.

“Tsania’dacha, tell me what happened.”

_Unable to do so, Operator. Transference link disrupted._

“For how long?”

_Two Terran weeks._

_“_ Two weeks!? What– I don’t understand!”

_Infested bodies are able to sustain humanoid life, if eaten._

_“_ Are you saying I ate the Infested?”

_Cannibalism is also a viable survival tactic._

_“And_  the Tenno?”

_Take a look around, Operator._

Yaku’ raised their head and peered into the darkness. Surrounding them entirely were swarms of Infested, milling about as if there wasn’t a Tenno sitting helpless in their midst. They looked down at themself and spotted their reflection in a puddle of fluid: desaturated skin, muted tones, dark hair reflecting red and brilliantly luminescent eyes.

“I’m–”

_Infested, yes. In a way. Analysis shows the Operator is still Tenno and fully capable of Transference. The Operator is Infested-infused. The Operator is treated as one of the Infested, yet retains independence and mental faculties. The Operator may have some influence over fellow Infested. Further evaluation needed._

Yaku’ blinked and stood slowly. They squinted at Tsania’dacha. Something about her seemed off. “Tsania’dacha, are you–”

_Warframe: Valkyr Prime, designation_ Tsania’dacha,  _also shows Infested traits. Extent of traits is primarily cosmetic._

They climbed out of the pit and examined their frame quietly. Undulating Infested fins extended from her ankles and shoulders and a small nub of growth rose from the base of her neck. Her coloring, normally copper-toned like Yaku’, had shifted to reveal pale tones, almost fleshy in texture.

“Well,” Yaku’ began, pinching one of the fins between their thumb and forefinger, “this will be significantly more difficult to explain than two weeks’ absence. Poor Ordis.” 


End file.
